To only work very part time?

[OneJadeSheep]

I only work 2 days a week and even then only during school hours. I feel that’s the most I can cope with whilst also being a single kinship foster carer to 4 children. Colleagues are complaining though saying they think I should work more days because me being so part time is causing problems for them because they are having to do work that I don’t have time to do in my 2 days. Some colleagues have also described it as “ridiculous” that I only work very part time and they feel I should be working a minimum of at least 3 days a week or more. AIBU to work very part time like this? I feel like all my colleagues are gossiping and talking behind my back about how part time I am! One of my colleagues has also said they don’t think I’m a “proper part” of the team because I’m so part time.

I can see their point

Why though?

Are you seriously still asking that? Really? You will be a net negative to the team, the time they have to spend bringing you up to speed or taking over your half finished jobs means it would be much easier for them to just do the work themselves. You don’t know the people you manage, you don’t see their daily work or empathise at all with their issues as this thread has shown. And that’s before taking into account the fact you’re taking up a space that could otherwise employ someone productive.

What good are you as a manager on 2 days …absolutely none

It’s not even 2 days - it’s the equivalent of 1 7.5 hour day a week once you take out school hols and holidays.

@SparklyLimeHair had a less flexible employer.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/amibeingunreasonable/5453723-to-quit-my-job-and-lose-a-ton-of-moneysalary?page=1

I’m flabbergasted at how the colleagues’ frustrations are being directed towards OP rather than management’s mismanagement of the situation. I mean, as the change of working pattern had been accepted, it should have been on management (OP’s LM or her LM’s LM) to ensure the workload could be covered, or to recruit another part timer if it couldn’t. Bitching about OP is just unprofessional.

@OneJadeSheephow long have you been working this pattern for? Could this just be teething issues and colleagues adjusting?

To those asking why OP isn’t doing more than 2 days school-hours only work, I can quite imagine that 4 kids in foster care probably bring a swathe of issues with them, which may impact things gong on at school, OP being pulled in for various meetings etc, not to mention liaison with social services and other professionals. Not easy to guarantee that school hours are going to be clear for OP to work in.

Good luck - you’ve done an amazing thing

She is their line manager though and she is not doing anything about their workload. She is their first port of call and she is aware that they are now doing more but is reluctant to raise this herself with anyone else or to look at ways to address it such as redirecting workloads. Yes it is on her company to have thought about these problems when agreeing to the part time request, but as a senior leader she also needs to be involved in managing her team and looking at strategies to move forward, addressing the increased workload.

Her colleagues may also be doing admirable things outside of work or have difficult lives that she is unaware of. She doesn't actually seem very considerate of them as it was obvious it would cause conflict reducing her hours by so much (she works school hours term time only), leaving so many hours she presumably needed to do the job unfulfilled and as she is not there to do it, it falls on everyone else. I think all these people saying they wouldn't be moaning like her colleagues are if they were in this situation are very much deluded. To also say they say she isn't part of the team is also realistic, she is only there limited hours so isn't going to be fully on board with the work or in forming any bond with her colleagues. Having worked part time/school hours across the week I know it's very hard to actually get to know your team (as there are less opportunities to see them at lunch or on a break) and when you are there you are always on the back foot trying to catch up on things everyone else knows.

This is almost certainly the OP.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5408319-to-be-annoyed-that-my-employer-wont-let-me-go-part-time

Her management are absolutely at fault for the impact of this, but as it was clearly only agreed on appeal (despite the pitfalls being clearly outlined to OP) they haven’t agreed it willingly. My suspicion is that OP made it clear she would make a fuss and they decided that letting her prove them right would lead to an easier exit.

I’d be pissed off as a colleague, but I agree it’s not your fault. You’re just an easier target than ‘the system’. I presume in such an organisation you have targets and annual performance reviews - so your not available to support your staff the majority of the time (literally, based on the maths of how much you work) and likely have strong influence over their assessments.

It sounds like they should never have agreed it for your role, it’s totally unsuitable.

And as for the gossiping, presumably you have a workplace anti bullying and harassment policy? Start documenting your evidence and use it.

It’s not your fault but it’s unfair if they work over time.

I work alongside a job share. They split the full contracted hours and both arrive and leave at those times. However, the rest of us can’t help but do over time and find ourselves doing their work at times too. Neither of them ever work over time because of their hours. It’s not their fault but it’s unfair that we are expected to.

Yes, but you were previously 1.0FTE and are now less than 0.4FTE, so surely they should be able to recruit for the over 0.6 FTE that they’ve lost through your change of hours - and it would be pretty cost neutral for them. You could work the role as a job share.

But in the OP’s case I don’t think it’s even the working overtime that’s the main issue. It’s that her direct reports have so little access to her.

You need to quit your job OP.

I think it’s more about them having to carry someone with much reduced hours,

This sort of thread is so frustrating. You seem to be repeating the same thing in every post. Why the repetition? Do you want practical advice or just a place to vent?

Or the OP might be a bot. That would also explain why the other thread is so similar.

I'd imagine OP that most of them are just jealous that they can't afford to only work 2 days a week.

I think the best thing might be to tackle it head on OP. You don't have to of course but I can't see any other way to stop the gossiping if that's what you're looking to do. Making a complaint about their behaviour is only going to widen the gap between you - even if they are being rude and bitchy and it's deserved.

Why don't you speak to the people individually and find out exactly what their issues are? Are they unhappy because you're not around enough for them to ask questions? are they unhappy because they have too much work? are they unhappy because you're not around enough to know what's going on? Is there anything that can be done to improve communication, are they actually having to work overtime or do they just have to do a bit more in the time they have (maybe less time bitching would lead to more efficiency).

Could anyone imagine a man quitting his job because people were unhappy about the way he was doing it - just wouldn't happen. If people are really that unhappy about the amount of work they have to do then they can leave. But nope they'd rather just bitch and blame the OP.

No, because that would require 2 headcount and that apparently is restricted. There’s also increased costs from handover time, IT equipment etc.

Tell the other staff that this is something they need to raise with management. It's not for you to sort out staffing problems.

Many ppl with kids manage to work more hrs, I'm disabled depending on rota and if I choose to do extra shifts I could work anywhere from 12.5hrs to over 20 hrs a wk, there is no reason you can't do extra shifts, it's not fair for other ppl, we have kids where I work on more than one occasion have said they couldn't do a shift as their mum had plans which the rest of us wouldn't get away with and it's makes us shortstaffed. When kids are all in school, you won't have a choice about what hrs you choose to do unless there are exceptional circumstances, if I don't earn enough I have to have an appointment at job centre.

More than anything else I think you need to speak to HR about why management is having gossipy, bitchy conversations with staff about the hours that presumably, the same management have already agreed to. It's super unprofessional of them.

Hi,

I am sorry you are experiencing this.

Working your contracted hours is lawful.
Being criticised, marginalised, or bullied because you are part-time is not.

You are not being unreasonable. The reduction in hours was approved by your employer and as such, how you are being untreated is unfair, especially if you are fulfilling your duties within those hours.

I am not sure if I have missed what you do for work, apologies. If this situation continues or escalates, you’ll need to consider whether it’s sustainable long-term. Unfortunately, workplace cultures like this often don’t change.

If you are being impacted by this, you must log every incident of this happening in as much detail as possible (names, dates, what has been said, witnesses). You must also raise these concerns to your own manager, or their manager / HR, in writing, to ensure there is a formal record. This helps protect you if the situation is later reframed as a performance or capability issue.

If the workload cannot reasonably be completed within your contracted hours, that is a management and resourcing issue, not a personal failing. If duties have increased or not been adjusted to reflect your hours, that is relevant and should be documented.

Escalation options
A) Phone ACAS (free) and speak to an employment solictior (many offer free intial consultations).
B) Raise a formal grievance with all details, including names, dates etc.
C) Submit a Subject Access Request. This requires your employer to disclose all personal data held about you, including emails, messages, teams, and notes where you are identified. If people are writing anything about you, it will have to be disclosed. There is quite a lot of information available for free online.

Finally, protect yourself by keeping discussions about this issue limited to HR or your manager (provided they are not involved). Avoid informal conversations with colleagues about it.

You are entitled to work your contracted hours without being treated as “less than” for doing so.

You need to take this harassment and bullying to HR and ACAS.

It's bullying..I would talk to management about that and say you want meeting logged ..
You're doing nothing wrong